A 15-year-old housemaid who worked in a house at Rupnagar in the capital's Mirpur area died yesterday at the Ayesha Hospital of Tejgaon.
Locals of Rupnagar area alleged that the girl died due to torture inflicted upon her by her master.
However, Officer-in-Charge Sikder Md Shamim Hossain said: “She was brought to the hospital as she fell sick after the son of the house owner gave her a slap on the night of June 16.”
“The housemaid comes from Tiakhali under Kalapara in Patuakhali district. She had always been sick and used to remain uncleaned and disheveled for which Fardin Islam Rup, the son of the owner, slapped her,” he added.
The caretaker's wife Shathi said the girl had always been sick and often became senseless.
The dead body was sent for postmortem to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Police arrested Fardin in connection with the death.
Victim's mother Hasina Begum filed a case with the Rupnagar police station on June 17 in this connection.
The case was filed against Fardin Islam Rup, son of Rafiqul Islam Monir, his wife Haoarunnesa Shuvo and his daughter Maliha Jahan Mou, said the OC.
However, conflicting versions came from police and local people including the caretaker of the building Shathi.
Police said there were three members in the house excluding parents who are living in Patuakhali.
But the caretaker and neighbours said Fardin was living in the building along with his younger brother and a friend.
In reaction to a question the OC said: “As the investigation is going on we can not say anything about the matter.”
When asked if Fardin's father is a high official of an intelligence agency, the OC replied: “They are relatives of an intelligence agency official.”
But he could not give details of his parent's profession.
According to local people, on June 16, they came to know about the matter when a rickshaw-puller spread the news in the area after he left the girl to the Purabi Islamia Hospital with the caretaker's husband Sanowar.
Later, hundreds of local people rushed to the building. Police including the OC in four vehicles reached the spot at the same time, said locals.